Anxiety and ASD: Current Progress and Ongoing Challenges

South, Mikle; Rodgers, Jacqui; Hecke, Amy Vaughan Van

doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3322-y

Cited by 32 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Male and female offspring were behaviorally tested in paradigms that indexed murine versions of ASD symptoms, including deficits in verbal communication, impairments in social interaction, and presence of stereotyped/repetitive behaviors 43 . Behavioral assessing also included tests for anxiety-like behavior and prepulse inhibition in attempts to examine ASD-related symptoms of anxiety and altered sensorimotor gating 44 , 45 . While verbal communication was assessed in neonatal mice on postnatal day (PND) 6, all other tests were conducted in a separate subgroup of offspring when they reached the juvenile stage (i.e., between PND 28 and 42).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The behavioral tests included paradigms assessing murine versions of core symptoms of ASD, including impairments in social interaction, deficits in verbal communication, and presence of stereotyped/repetitive behaviors 43 . We also included tests for anxiety-like behavior and prepulse inhibition in attempts to examine ASD-related symptoms of anxiety and altered sensorimotor gating 44 , 45 . To assess the distribution of TiO 2 NPs following maternal exposure, we measured the contents of titanium (Ti) in distinct maternal tissues (liver, spleen, plasma), placenta, fetal liver, and fetal brain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Prenatal exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles in mice causes behavioral deficits with relevance to autism spectrum disorder and beyond

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Environmental factors are involved in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may contribute to the raise in its incidence rate. It is currently unknown whether the increasing use of nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide (TiO2 NPs) in consumer products and biomedical applications may play a role in these associations. While nano-sized TiO2 is generally regarded as safe and non-toxic, excessive exposure to TiO2 NPs may be associated with negative health consequences especially when occurring during sensitive developmental periods. To test if prenatal exposure to TiO2 NPs alters fetal development and behavioral functions relevant to ASD, C57Bl6/N dams were subjected to a single intravenous injection of a low (100 µg) or high (1000 µg) dose of TiO2 NPs or vehicle solution on gestation day 9. ASD-related behavioral functions were assessed in the offspring using paradigms that index murine versions of ASD symptoms. Maternal exposure to TiO2 NPs led to subtle and dose-dependent impairments in neonatal vocal communication and juvenile sociability, as well as a dose-dependent increase in prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex of both sexes. These behavioral alterations emerged in the absence of pregnancy complications. Prenatal exposure to TiO2 NPs did not cause overt fetal malformations or changes in pregnancy outcomes, nor did it affect postnatal growth of the offspring. Taken together, our study provides a first set of preliminary data suggesting that prenatal exposure to nano-sized TiO2 can induce behavioral deficits relevant to ASD and related neurodevelopmental disorders without inducing major changes in physiological development. If extended further, our preclinical findings may provide an incentive for epidemiological studies examining the role of prenatal TiO2 NPs exposure in the etiology of ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles in mice causes behavioral deficits with relevance to autism spectrum disorder and beyond

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Similarly, specific cognitive biases that underpin anxiety problems in nonautistic people may be less prominent in highly anxious autistic people [31]. Instead, autism-specific risk factors, such as an intolerance of uncertainty and sensory overload, are important in the development and maintenance of clinically severe anxiety in autism [32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background There is inconsistent evidence for a clear pattern of association between ‘camouflaging’ (strategies used to mask and/or compensate for autism characteristics during social interactions) and mental health. Methods This study explored the relationship between self-reported camouflaging and generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety in a large sample of autistic adults and, for the first time, explored the moderating effect of gender, in an online survey. Results Overall, camouflaging was associated with greater symptoms of generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety, although only to a small extent beyond the contribution of autistic traits and age. Camouflaging more strongly predicted generalised and social anxiety than depression. No interaction between camouflaging and gender was found. Limitations These results cannot be generalised to autistic people with intellectual disability, or autistic children and young people. The sample did not include sufficient numbers of non-binary people to run separate analyses; therefore, it is possible that camouflaging impacts mental health differently in this population. Conclusions The findings suggest that camouflaging is a risk factor for mental health problems in autistic adults without intellectual disability, regardless of gender. We also identified levels of camouflaging at which risk of mental health problems is highest, suggesting clinicians should be particularly aware of mental health problems in those who score at or above these levels.

show abstract

“…Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly exhibit co-morbid symptoms of hyperactivity, self-injury, aggressiveness, restlessness, anxiety and sleep disorders (Mannion and Leader, 2013; South et al, 2017). Conventional medical treatment includes various psychotropic medications such as atypical anti psychotics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), stimulants and anxiolytics (Canitano and Scandurra, 2008; Stachnik and Gabay, 2010; Wink et al, 2010; Hurwitz et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oral Cannabidiol Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder to Treat Related Symptoms and Co-morbidities

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly exhibit comorbid symptoms such as aggression, hyperactivity and anxiety. Several studies are being conducted worldwide on cannabidiol use in ASD; however, these studies are still ongoing, and data on the effects of its use is very limited. In this study we aimed to report the experience of parents who administer, under supervision, oral cannabinoids to their children with ASD.Methods: After obtaining a license from the Israeli Ministry of Health, parents of children with ASD were instructed by a nurse practitioner how to administer oral drops of cannabidiol oil. Information on comorbid symptoms and safety was prospectively recorded biweekly during follow-up interviews. An independent group of specialists analyzed these data for changes in ASD symptoms and drug safety.Results: 53 children at a median age of 11 (4–22) year received cannabidiol for a median duration of 66 days (30–588). Self-injury and rage attacks (n = 34) improved in 67.6% and worsened in 8.8%. Hyperactivity symptoms (n = 38) improved in 68.4%, did not change in 28.9% and worsened in 2.6%. Sleep problems (n = 21) improved in 71.4% and worsened in 4.7%. Anxiety (n = 17) improved in 47.1% and worsened in 23.5%. Adverse effects, mostly somnolence and change in appetite were mild.Conclusion: Parents’ reports suggest that cannabidiol may improve ASD comorbidity symptoms; however, the long-term effects should be evaluated in large scale studies.

show abstract

Anxiety and ASD: Current Progress and Ongoing Challenges

Cited by 32 publications

References 11 publications

Prenatal exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles in mice causes behavioral deficits with relevance to autism spectrum disorder and beyond

Prenatal exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles in mice causes behavioral deficits with relevance to autism spectrum disorder and beyond

Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

Oral Cannabidiol Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder to Treat Related Symptoms and Co-morbidities

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About